RSK has announced it has created a company tasked with delivering unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive ordnance risk reduction (EORR) services.
RSK Ordnance Management will support RSK businesses and additional clients with services including bomb disposal, UXO and ordnance management, risk assessments, ground investigation, ground contamination and environmental impact.
RSK group chief executive officer Alan Ryder said the new business would support and contribute to the vital area of UXO research and investigation:
“Our multi-sector work across the UK and the world, on land and in the marine environment has made us aware of the very real need for a business of this nature,” he said.
“It will not only be a valuable asset in supporting existing RSK businesses as part of their work for our clients but also has an important role to play for other businesses, particularly in the construction, renewables and environmental sectors.
“We look forward to advancing the research and expertise in this sector with the skills and experience that RSK Ordnance Management managing director Hemi Morete, technical director Richard Holmes and principal consultant Andrew Lane bring to the business. They will also further develop these essential skills as the business grows to meet UK and international demand for these services.”
Morete (pictured) said: “The establishment of RSK Ordnance Management reflects a growing awareness of the risk posed by UXO and its impact on construction, infrastructure development and the environment.”
Holmes added: “We have the qualifications and experience across our team to deliver UXO risk assessments and surveys and subsequent clearance. We have qualified explosive ordnance disposal engineers available to deliver UXO training to on-site staff and carry out watching briefs to ensure the safety and security of our clients’ personnel.
“The risk of UXO from legacy items is present right across the UK, as seen in recent years with high-profile events, such as the one in Exeter in 2021, when more than 100 homes were damaged by a Second World War German bomb, with the added disruption for around 2700 residents who were evacuated. RSK Ordnance Management treats all tasks on an evidence-based risk analysis, working with clients to mitigate risks and find appropriate solutions to deliver safe sites and reduced downtime.
“We believe that the combination of specialist technical expertise that we have in this field together with the established industry knowledge and experience that exists within RSK is a compelling offer, and we look forward to providing this important service to RSK businesses and the wider market.”
The team’s experience includes running international UXO and de-mining projects in more than 25 countries, delivering UXO and quality management training to national authorities and providing EORR services to Ministry of Defence clients.
Holmes was a training manager and diving officer in the British Army’s bomb disposal regiment, while Lane has delivered UXO and EORR services in Mali, Somalia and Ukraine, alongside running operations in the UK for a number of UK UXO operators.